M^cCullough O'Connor Irwin LLP has extensive experience acting for investment dealers and underwriters. The firm regularly carries out due diligence investigations on behalf of dealers who are undertaking financings or providing advisory services. The firm also advises investment dealers, on an on-going basis, on compliance matters relating to internal administration and permitted trading and advising activities. M^cCullough O'Connor Irwin routinely assists clients with obtaining all forms of registration with securities regulators, including registration as brokers, mutual fund dealers and portfolio managers, and individual registrations as directors, trading officers and investment advisers.

M^cCullough O'Connor Irwin LLP represents clients at all stages of the capital-raising process, including start-up, mezzanine and later stage financings. The firm's lawyers are familiar with the development of emerging growth companies, from their initial incorporation through the stages of going public.

M^cCullough O'Connor Irwin LLP provides ongoing general corporate legal services to its clients, including corporate records maintenance and regulatory filings, carrying out annual and special meetings procedures and assisting in the preparation and delivery of continuous disclosure materials. The firm also advises boards of directors, including designing and disclosing new systems of corporate governance, and advises special committees of boards of directors of both private and public companies.

M^cCullough O'Connor Irwin LLP regularly assists issuers and underwriters in raising capital through a variety of financing techniques, including initial and secondary public offerings, private placements and syndicated offerings. The firm has extensive experience in both equity and debt financings through a variety of investment vehicles.

M^cCullough O'Connor Irwin LLP offers special expertise structuring, negotiating and completing merger and acquisition transactions. The firm has advised both issuers and financial advisers on acquisitions and dispositions through exempt or friendly takeover transactions, and has assisted clients in launching and defending against hostile takeover bids.

M^cCullough O'Connor Irwin LLP regularly assists clients with stock exchange listings on the principal stock exchanges in Canada, as well as inter-listings on stock exchanges in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. The firm also assists clients with ongoing compliance and maintenance requirements of the stock exchanges and securities commissions.

We regularly represent both institutional investors and fund sponsors in the organization of pooled investment vehicles to invest in the private equity asset class. Our representation has included all categories of such funds, including venture, mezzanine and buyout funds investing in Canada, the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia. We are familiar with emerging standards for fees, profit sharing, governance and other terms and conditions for the various types of funds and are conscious of the need to balance and maintain an alignment of interests between investors and managers in this rapidly expanding asset class.

The lawyers at McCullough O'Connor Irwin LLP have substantial experience in mineral exploration and finance and have worked on projects through all stages of development from grass roots staking syndicates, early stage exploration, planning and executing drill programs, resource definition and scoping and feasibility studies, to project finance and production in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. We are familiar with the dynamics of financing exploration as well as with joint venture, option and sale transactions and are sensitive to timing, cost and regulatory requirements.

The lawyers at McCullough O'Connor Irwin LLP have significant experience in all aspects of financing biotech and life sciences companies, from start-up through to clinical trials and beyond. We have acted for investors and fund managers, as well as numerous companies, in the biotech industry in connection with debt and equity financings, including US/Canadian cross-border transactions.